Rejoice in Our Remorse

There has been an issue that has been bothering me the last two months. It all started at Urbana 2006, which now seems like it was an eternity ago.

We were having the last session, on Sunday evening (December 31, 2006), and we were taking communion. Now, there are 22,000 people at Urbana, so as you can imagine, communion on that scale was a new experience. I had never really had more than maybe 200 people taking communion at the same time.

It was amazing though. You could have heard a pindrop in the Edward Jones Dome with 22,000 people in it. Now, I was looking for some Scriptual backing for our remorse while taking communion. I guess remorse is not a great word here, but I think that some of us see it as that. What I found was this (by the way, I found this today in church after taking communion):

A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. (1 Cor. 11:28-29)

Here we have a reason to examine ourselves before taking communion. We must think about why it was necessary for Christ to die on the cross; how are sins HELD Him on the cross.

In this light, it is right to be remorseful, knowing that Christ had to die to save us from our sinful nature; our sins -- past, present, and future -- held Him to that cross. I am ashamed that I have put Christ on the cross, and that He has to stay there for me to be forgiven again and again.

However, if one looks at the cross and communion in a different light, we should rejoice. I have not been able to find Scriptual backing for this; however, it is my more immediate reaction to communion. Let me explain.

Christ WILLINGLY went to the cross; He knew what He was doing. He offered himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Eph. 5:2). He wanted us to join him in Heaven.

In light of Christ's willingess and his rejoicing at us joining him in Heaven, then I feel that we should rejoice when taking communion. This is the body and blood that saves us, that gives us eternal life, to spend that eternal life with the One who shed it for us.

So, I will continue to be split asunder when taking communion -- not knowing whether to rejoice or feel great remorse. I guess that I will have to rejoice in my remorse.